Feeding device of wood working machine

ABSTRACT

A feeding device used for a wood working machine includes two roller assemblies respectively mounted to two roller supports which can be controlled to turn about horizontal axes and which in turn is supported by an upper portion mounted to a cantilever arm of a column. Each of roller assemblies includes at least two rows of rollers respectively mounted on at least two horizontal axes. By adjusting roller supports, these rollers can roll on a curve surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a feeding device, particularly to a feedingdevice for wood working machines, such as, milling machine, planingmachine, sawing machine, etc., which is used to feed a workpiece on awork table by rolling action to a cutter.

It is known that, feeding devices used for wood working machines includea set of rollers mounted to a roller support which is associated with amotor and is held by an overarm mounted to a colum at a certain height.In such feeding device, although the rollers can be changed to variouspositions or angles by adjusting the roller support which is steerableto turn about a vertical axis, these rollers are not suitable to work oncurve surfaces, especially when the number of rows of rollers areincreased for feeding large workpiece. Additionally, the mounting ofthese rollers can not allow the cutter to work at the position betweenthem and therefore, in some cases, such feeding device can not guide andfeed the workpiece in a balanced manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a feeding device which can beapplied to various operations and various forms of workpiece.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeding device which hastwo roller supports steerable to turn about both vertical and horizontalaxes so that the rollers mounted to the supports can roll on a curvesurface and guide the workpiece in a balanced manner.

According to the present invention, a feeding device used for a woodworking machine comprises, a column, a cantilever arm, a head including,an upper portion mounted to the cantilever arm and steerable to turnabout a vertical axis relative to the cantilever arm, and two armportions symmetrically extended from the lower side of the upper portionand steerable to turn about first horizontal axes relative to the upperportion, two sets of roller assemblies respectively mounted to the armportions. Each of the roller assemblies includes, a roller supportconnected to the arm portion and steerable to turn relative to the armportion about a second horizontal axis perpendicular to the firsthorizontal axis, and at least two rows of rollers attached to thesupport and respectively rotatable about two third horizontal axesparallel to the second axis. The second and third axes are arranged atlocations of apexes of a triangle, the second axis being positionedabove the third axes and distances of the third axes from the secondaxis are unequal. The upper portion, arm portions and the supportsincluding cooperable transmission means for transmitting rotationalmovements to the rollers. A power means for providing a drive force ismounted to the cantilever arm.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more apparent in the following description of apreferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a feeding device constructed according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the feeding device in another position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the upper portion;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an arm portion;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one roller assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectioned view of the feeding device;

FIG. 7 is another fragmentary sectioned view of the feeding device;

FIG. 8 illustrates an operating position of the feeding device; and

FIG. 9 illustrates another operating position of the feeding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a feeding device 1constructed according to the invention which includes a column 1, acantilever arm 2, a head constituted of an upper portion 3 and two armportions 4, and two roller assemblies 5. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 theupper portion 3 includes a tubular clamp coupling 10 which has a lug 11,a clamping screw 12 and a clamping handle 13 and is mounted to the head2 by means of screws. A shaft sleeve 14 in which is mounted a bearingassembly 15a and 15b has a flange 16 that is seated on a shoulder 17 ofthe clamp coupling 10. A shaft 18 is journalled in the bearing assembly15a and 15b, and to the upper end of the shaft 18 is attached a pulleymember 19 which is connected to another pulley 20 mounted to a powertake-off shaft 21 of a drive means 22, such as, motor, by means oftransmission belt 23. At the lower end of the shaft 18 is provided abevel gear 24. The shaft sleeve 14 has a threaded portion 25 throughwhich a T-shaped shell 26 is coupled thereto. The T-shaped tubular shell26 thereby is rotatable, relative to the clamp coupling 10 or thecantilever arm 2, about a vertical axis, and can be locked againstmovement by operating the clamping handle 13. At the lower side of theT-shaped shell 26 are two clamping members 27 each of which includes alug 28, a clamping screw rod 29 and a clamping handle 30.

These clamping members 27 respectively clamp two symmetrical armportions 4 each of which includes a bent tubular shell 31, as shown inFIG. 4. Tne T-shaped shell 26 is in communication with these benttubular shells 31 and the bevel gear 24 of the shaft 18 is engaged withtwo bevel gears 32 adapted to transmit the movement to two horizontalshafts 34 which are oppositely extended to two bent shells 31. As thearm portions are the same construction, the constructions thereof willbe explained with reference to one arm portion 4. Each of the gears 32has a small diameter body 33 and is fixedly mounted on the shaft 34through key ways 35. Two bearings 36 are sleeved onto the shaft 34 inthe bent tubular shell 31 as better shown in FIG. 6. A bevel gear 37 isprovided at the end of the shaft 34 and is made to engage with anotherbevel gear 38 which has a small diameter body 39 on which is mounted abearing member 40. A cap 41 is provided for covering an open end 42 ofthe bent shell 31 and has an annular member 43 sleeved on the bearing40. A tightening screw rod 44 is inserted through the gear 38, bearing40 and the cap 41 and is provided with a guide handle 45. A hollow shaft46 (FIG. 5) is sleeved onto the screw rod 44 and has key ways 47 engagedwith the teeth 48 of the gear 38. A bearing assemblies 49 and a bearingshim 50 are mounted on the hollow shaft 46 and a spur gear 51 isprovided at the end of the shaft 46 which is extended into a couplingmember 52 which is used to couple a roller support 53 of the rollerassembly 5 with the bent shell 31. The coupling member 52 has a shellhaving a conical surface which is in slide contact with the inner wallof the bent shell 31 and the threaded end 54 of the screw rod 44 isscrewed in the threaded hole 55 of the coupling 52 for locking of themovement coupling 52 relative to the shell 31. The bent shells 31 arerotatable, relative to the T-shaped tubular shell 26, about horizontalshafts 34 and can be locked against movement by operating the clampinghandles 30. A coupling channel 70 is attached to two bent shells 31across the upper portion 3 so that the two bent shells 31 can be turnedat the same time and same direction.

Referring to FIG. 5, each of the roller supports 53 of the rollerassemblies 5 which are connected to the arm portions 4 is in the form ofa housing integrally formed with the coupling member 52 and is rotatablerelative to the bent shell 31 about a horizontal shaft 46 perpendicularto the shaft 34 of the bent shell 31. The support 53 can be lockedagainst movement by operating the tightening screw rod 44. There arefurther provided annular seats 69, below the coupling member 52, at twoopposite walls 56 of the housing or support 53. Two axes 57 of rotationpass through the opposite walls 56 in coaxial positions relative to theannular seats 69, and in parallel positions relative to the axis ofrotation of the roller support 53, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 (FIG. 5only shows one axis 57 and one set of elements which are mounted to saidaxis for easy illustration). The axis 57 is provided with a spur gear 58which is engaged with a further gear 59 received in the housing 53. Fourrollers 60 and 61 are mounted on the axis 57 in a symmetrical positionin respect of the location of the gear 59 as better seen in FIG. 7. Therollers 61 are engagedly mounted on the axis 57 by means of key ways 62.Between each two rollers 60 and 61 are a friction gear 63 and therollers 60 are rotatably sleeved onto the annular seat 69. Two bearings64 and bearing shims 65 are provided in the annular seat 69. Twothreaded ends 67 of the axis 57 are respectively engaged with screws 66for restraining the rollers 60 and 61.

There is further provided a gear 68 which is supported by a bearing 77sleeved onto a hub 78 that is attached to the wall 56 of the housing bymeans of a bolt 79. A collar 80 is provided on the hub 78 for coveringthe gear 68. The gear 68 is engaged with the gears 51 and 59 and therotation movement of the shaft 46 is transmitted to the axes 57 throughthe gear 68 for rolling the rollers 60 and 61. Two covers 81 areprovided at both sides of the housing 53 in one roller assembly 5.

It will be appreciated that there are two rollers 60 and two rollers 61on an axis 57 and each roller assembly 5 includes four rollers 60 andfour rollers 61. Furthermore, two axes 57 are mounted to the rollersupport or housing 53 in such a manner that the locations of the shaft46 and two axes 57 are at apexes of a triangle and distances of the axes57 from the shaft 46 are not equal. Therefore, when two rollerassemblies 5 are mounted on the arm portions 4 in such a manner that theaxes 57 of longer distance y from the shaft 46 are positioned betweenthe axes 57 of shorter distance x from the shaft 46, the rollerassemblies 5 can be applied for a workpiece 83 of which the bottom sideis to be machined as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b. If the position of tworoller assemblies 5 are interchanged as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b, theroller assemblies 5 can be applied for a workpiece 83 of which the upperside is to be machined. It can be appreciated that this feeding devicecan be applied for the workpiece of either curve surface of flat surfaceas the roller supports 53 can be adjusted to turn about both horizontaland vertical axes, and, during operation, the cutter can work betweentwo roller assemblies 5.

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that obviousmodifications and variations can be made without departing from thescope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention belimited only as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:
 1. A feeding device used for a wood working machinecomprising:a column; a cantilever arm; power means mounted on saidover-arm; a cantilever hung from said cantilever arm including, an upperportion mounted to said cantilever arm said upper portion having upperand lower sides, and steerable to turn about a vertical axis relative tosaid overarm, and two arm portions symmetrically extended from the lowerside of said upper portion and steerable to turn about a firsthorizontal axes relative to said upper portion; two sets of rollerassemblies respectively mounted to said arm portions, each of saidroller assemblies including, a roller support connected to said armportion and steerable to turn relative to said arm portion about asecond horizontal axis perpendicular to said first horizontal axis, andat least two rows of rollers attached to said support and respectivelyrotatable about two third horizontal axes parallel to said second axis,said second and third axes being arranged at locations of apexes of atriangle, distances of said third axes from said second axis beingunequal; and transmission elements including, spur gears, bevel gears,and shafts cooperably mounted in said head for transmitting rotationalmovements from said power means to said rollers.